The present invention relates to a hatch cover for a bulk transport vehicle, such as a trailer truck, and, more particularly to a hatch cover that can be unlocked, opened, closed, or locked by one or more remote controls which are easily accessible by an operator or the driver of the vehicle.
Trucks used for transporting dry bulk goods, such as ash, cement, lime, plastic resin fertilizers, chemicals and the like typically include one or more storage containers, The bulk goods are loaded into a respective container through a fill opening which is provided on the top of the container and is covered and sealed by a hatch cover. The cover is typically pivotally mounted to the container and secured in a closed position over the fill opening by a plurality of hold-down clamps. The hold-down clamps are pivotally mounted to the container around the fill opening and engage a corresponding plurality of tabs or ears which are provided on the cover. In order to unlock the hatch cover, each hold-down clamp must be individually loosened and then disengaged from the tab; thereafter, the hatch cover can be opened. In a like manner, in order to close and lock the hatch cover, the cover must be pivoted to its closed position and then each hold-down clamp must be repositioned to engage a respective tab and tightened down to assure an effective seal between the cover and the container. Most hatch covers include four or more hold-down clamps; thus, it can be appreciated that the process of unlocking, opening, closing, and locking a conventional hatch cover is time consuming.
In addition to being time consuming, the driver or operator is exposed to potential injuries. In order to open the cover, the driver must exit the cab of the truck and scale the side of the truck to reach the hatch cover where the driver manually unlocks each hold-down clamp. Once unlocked, the driver lifts the hatch cover so that the container can be filled. After filling, the driver typically rescales the side of the truck to close and then lock the hatch cover. Since these storage containers are generally rounded, this process can expose the driver to the risk of siding or falling off the vehicle. Recently, this danger of falling from or sliding off the truck has prompted governing agencies to promulgate regulations that require both producers and delivery site owners to provide safety cages or platforms which support the driver while he or she opens and closes the hatch cover to reduce the risk of injury to the driver. However, these safety cages and platforms are expensive to install and maintain.
Consequently, there is a need for an automated hatch that will eliminate the associated risks with the conventional manual method of unlocking, opening, closing, and locking hatches and, further, will save time.